The Inconceivable Flame: A Fallen Angel's Disguise

Lost in her own world, Ru was standing on the deck with the early rays of sun falling softly on her face. The blue sky above her was an ever-changing art which looked beautiful with clouds and the sun that was wearing off the curtains of darkness slowly.

The sea breeze was blowing her hair and providing some tranquility to her raging emotions.

"Xiaoxue..." She repeated the name again as if tasting the sound of it on her tongue. Oddly, she could feel an affinity with this name as if it was really close to her. "’Xiao’ for ’little’ then which ’Xue’ is it? Xuè for blood? Xué for acupuncture point? It could be Xuē for wormwood like grass..." Ru’s mind was engaged in trying to figure out the name she heard in her dream. The scene of those white cherry blossoms falling flashed before her eyes again and her eyes widened as she asked to no one in particular, "Is it Xuě for ’snow’?"

Lifting her hand, she ruffled her own hair, "Whatever! I don’t know. I’m not gonna think. Aish! My brain is gonna explode now. Let’s just stop thinking." With these words, she leaned back on the metal railing which was behind her. "It was just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream." She kept repeating to herself trying to make it sound more believable to her own mind.

There was strange calmness in the air at this time of the day. Without any unnecessary noises, she was really feeling like she was all alone in the middle of the sea. And that idea wasn’t as scary as it should have been.

She turned around and placed her elbows on the railing. There was a swimming pool on the deck below hers which she could see clearly from her position. She didn’t expect to see anyone up at this time but what she saw actually was a very heartwarming scene.

A middle-aged couple was seated at a table of the cafe which was right beside the swimming pool. The man was feeding his wife himself. When she shook her head refusing to eat anymore, the man was coaxing her like a little kid. She couldn’t hear their voices but she could see the love between them.

What made this scene more heartwarming was the fact that she knew the couple. They were none other than Ji Yifeng and the woman she met twice in Ji Family whom she was certain about being Ji Yifeng’s wife and Xiao Family’s one and only daughter.

Following that Ru saw Ji Yifeng saying something to the woman before leaving her there. Suddenly Ru’s curious eyes met with that woman’s skeptical ones. Both didn’t look away as Ru felt like the woman was trying to recognize her but could she really do that when Ru was in female clothing? Although Ru wasn’t sure, she was still surprised to see the sparkle in that woman’s eyes as she stood up and started walking towards Ru.

Ascending the stairs, she came close to Ru and looked at her face with the same curiosity as before. Ru was taken aback when the woman took her hands in her own and smiled at her.

"Do... Do you know me?" Ru asked with uncertainty.

"You have grown up so beautifully," the woman replied in a soft voice but her words put Ru in even more confusion.

"I think you’re mistaking me for someone else." There weren’t many people who knew Ru was a girl this was why she was sure that the woman before her was mistaken.

The woman shook her head as she replied, "I’m not mistaken at all. You look exactly like your grandmother."

Ru’s eyes widened considerably. ’Grandmother?’ Ru had no recollection of her grandmother. But what she did remember was the words her grandfather used to say, "You look just like your grandmother."

If those words were not enough to shock her than the woman added more, "Except for your eyes which you got from your grandfather. Green... The color of life, renewal, and safety."

Ru’s muscles tensed up as she questioned, "How do you know me?"

Before Ru could hear an answer, she heard a voice.

"Zhi’er!"

Ru tilted her head and saw Ji Yifeng almost running up to her side. He held the woman in his arms and asked, "Why did you come here? I told you to sit there. I got so worried" The woman whom he just called Zhi’er pursed her lips and refused to answer. Then he looked at Ru and said, "Sorry, Ms. Knight if my wife disturbed you in any way."

Ru shook her head in negation absentmindedly.

"Then we should leave," he said and both of them turned to walk away. They hadn’t gone far when Ji Yifeng felt a tug on his shirt, he lowered his eyes to face the woman in his arms. "What is it? Do you want anything?"

"Yifeng, I told you my Renren’s bride is most beautiful."

Ji Yifeng frowned slightly and said, "Xiao Zhi’er, where did you see Renren’s bride?"

The woman named Xiao Zhi’er looked back at Ru and smiled, "Isn’t she over there? The one who shines even brighter than the sun."

Ji Yifeng was stunned to hear her reply, "Zhi’er, you must be mistaken. How can she be the bride that you chose? She’s Quinn Knight."

Xiao Zhi pouted and replied, "Don’t you believe me anymore? She is my Renren’s bride. And my Renren chose her himself."

Hearing her aggrieved voice, Ji Yifeng nodded and placated her saying, "Yes, yes. You’re right. She’s the one. Now, let’s go back to the room. You have to take your medicine as well."

"I don’t want to. Medicines are bitter. Yuck!" She refused acting like a spoiled kid.

"But if you won’t eat medicine, how will Renren come to see you? Don’t you wanna see Renren?"

Her eyes brightened up as she questioned, "My Renren will come to see me. You promise?"

"I promise." He replied and looked back where Ru was standing a while ago with a complicated gaze. ’If she really is the girl chosen by Zhi’er and Renren, then Abbot Wang Xiuying was right. Fate is playing its game perfectly as always.’ He mused to himself not knowing whether he was happy to hear this or not.